Work pertaining to the generation and role of proteoglycans and mucopolysaccharides in connective tissue is in progress. Core proteins of cartilage proteoglycans are being identified. Chondrocyte polysomes of 3 to 5 subunits are found to contain the highest acceptor activity for nascent chain assembly. Proteoglycan interactions with cationic polypeptides and tropocollagen/mucopolysaccharide interactions in dilute aqueous solution have been characterized by C. D. Spectroscopy. A specific binding site of histamine on chondroitin 6-sulfate has been established by a combination of optical mixing and Fourier transform I. R. spectroscopy. Steric energy maps for the conformation of disaccharide units have been established.